Even Quinn, who had remained in her bedroom while he was gone, ventured into the kitchen, curious to see what he had bought with the rider's money. Pillar unpacked his parcels and sacks scattering the contents across the table and over the floor. There were blankets, two down pillows, clean breeches, skirts, a couple of blouses for Katina, aprons, shirts, a leather vest and even a pair of sturdy new boots for Tallow. Tallow could not believe her eyes. There were wedges of cheese, pickled onions, peppers, sugar, butter and sacks of grain and flour to fill the empty barrels upstairs. Tallow thought fleetingly of her skinny rats and how happy they would be. There was even a huge leg of mutton and two scrawny chickens. It took Tallow a moment as she picked over the various goods to notice that Pillar was grinning at her rather stupidly, his hands hidden behind his back. Catching her eye, he swung his arms in front of him, dangling something. It was a pair of spectacles. Tallow looked at him solemnly and then at Katina.
